ISLAMABAD: As part of measures to ensure the seamless participation of overseas Pakistanis in the upcoming by-elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday began issuing passcodes to voters registered with the i-voting system.
According to media reports, only 7,419 people have successfully registered for the program so far, even though more than 790,000 Pakistanis live abroad and 631,909 are eligible to use the system.
The online voting initiative was developed this year to grant voting rights to overseas Pakistani, but was not fully functional during the general elections in July. The polls on Sunday will enable the authorities to test the system for the first time on a relatively small scale.
The ECP said that the codes would be valid during voting hours in Pakistan. All registered voters will be able to cast their ballot after logging onto the website, sharing their required credentials and entering the individual passwords.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Imran Khan described the overseas Pakistanis as an 'asset' for the nation, assuring them of their rights and promising to extend every possible facility in recognition of their services to the country.
The new voting facility finally address the longstanding demand of overseas nationals to have a say in the political framework of the country.
ECP issues voting codes to overseas Pakistanis
ECP issues voting codes to overseas Pakistanis
- More than 7,000 have registered to vote in Sunday’s by-polls
- Numbers are disappointing considering the fact that 790,000 make up overall population
Pakistan president to visit UAE today to review trade, economic, defense ties
- President Asif Ali Zardari will lead a high-level delegation to the UAE from Jan. 26-29, says Pakistan’s FO
- Says Zardari to also discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest with UAE officials during visit
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari will undertake an official four-day visit to the UAE today, Monday, to review bilateral ties between the two nations, particularly in the spheres of trade, economic partnership and security, Pakistan’s foreign office said.
Zardari will lead a high-level delegation to the UAE from Jan. 26-29, the foreign office said, during which he will also hold discussions with UAE officials on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
“During the visit, the president will hold high-level meetings with the UAE’s leadership to review the full spectrum of bilateral ties, especially in the domains of trade and economic partnership, defense and security, and people-to-people ties,” the statement said.
Zardari’s visit takes place after UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in Pakistan on his first official visit to the country late last month.
Pakistan and the UAE share close economic relations, with Abu Dhabi having provided critical support to Islamabad during its periods of financial stress. This support included deposits at Pakistan’s central bank that helped Islamabad shore up foreign exchange reserves amid a severe balance-of-payments crunch.
The Gulf nation is also Islamabad’s third-largest trading partner after China and the US. Policymakers in Pakistan consider the UAE an optimal export destination due to its geographical proximity, which minimizes transportation and freight costs while facilitating commercial transactions.
Both nations have moved closer in recent months, signing agreements worth billions of dollars as Pakistan eyes greater trade and economic ties with Gulf states.
In January 2024, Pakistan and the UAE signed multiple agreements worth more than $3 billion for cooperation in railways, economic zones and infrastructure sectors.
The UAE is also a major source of foreign investment in Pakistan, which has been valued at over $10 billion in the last 20 years, according to the UAE’s foreign ministry.
